Samples that are obtained from individual are often processed or analyzed in many different operations or diagnostic tests. Samples from many individuals may be conveniently contained in sample tubes that are stored in a sample tube rack. The tubes may then be sorted for downstream analytical or processing operations which may be different for each sample. Sorting tubes by hand is cumbersome, time consuming, and error prone. Mechanical grippers for moving sample tubes from one location to another include parts that can wear out, require complicated construction and control mechanisms, and may cause increased wear on the sample tubes. Moreover, coded information on the sample tubes may be read one tube at a time, as the gripper passes the tube within view of a code reading instrument, which is time consuming.
There is a need for a system that can sort uniquely coded sample tubes rapidly and accurately from one location in a sample tube rack to another location for use in a desired analytical or processing operation, and in which coded information on a large number of sample tubes, such as an entire sample tube rack, may be read without moving tubes individually into proximity of a code reader.